Vytenis Povilas ANDRIUKAITIS

Policy topics Vytenis Povilas ANDRIUKAITIS is active on

What Vytenis Povilas ANDRIUKAITIS has said (80)

• 2026-07-14 “(11:40:32 - 11:42:10): you so much. First of all, thank you, dear Emma, for your very excellent presentation. Absolutely broad picture. You know, I am a big fan to see EMA much stronger. I remember when I visited, you know, Food and Drug Administration and then tried to convince our colleagues that we need to have much stronger EMA capacities. Now I think that we're in the right direction, especially as just Sokol mentioned that your mandate was extended. And now speaking about Biotech Act, about medical devices revision and so on, I think that they need to move forward. You know, guarantee much stronger role, EMA, in fields, especially in biotechnologies. And so, of course, knowing that we need to guarantee very strong cooperation between member states, notifying bodies and or notifying authorities and EMA creating much stronger capacities on clinical trials information systems, inviting much more experts and so on, and doing much more that we can of the research. My question is very simple. How can you see possibilities to attract much more expert capacities at EMA level because without expertise, we have no chance to move forward. It's a simple question because I know that we are all facing big health expertise shortages. Thank you.”
  EU competences on health (internal-competence axis, sharpened)
• 2026-07-14 “(11:04:31 - 11:07:09): Thank you. I will speak in Lithuanian. 1st, I would like to thank Oliver Shank. And I'm very glad because he has great experience, and I do believe that this this experience will be used in the right manner. And all the all the reporters are from Germany. And since Germany is a huge market and a huge country for the production of med medical devices, medical products. They have great experience, and they can help us. But when I was minister in 2013 during the Lithuanian presidency of the council, we happened to shape the regulation of the medical products. So I know that these are going to be very complicated things. I'd like to assure you that we have to make sure that in terms of notification, there is as much of Europe as possible, as much of cooperation as possible. Notifying companies or agencies should trust each other, mutual recognition, enhanced cooperation, open method of coordination. These principles are very important so that we avoid duplication, unnecessary red tape, etcetera. Now as regards to single use medical devices, I'd like to object to the former speaker. I am a cardio surgeon with great experience. We would implant stimulators, valves, etcetera. Indeed, I do agree to the idea that we should be very flexible here. It's obvious that hygiene, safety, security standards should not be ignored whatsoever in whatsoever sense, but flexibility should be kept. There should be a possibility for the hospitals to be flexible in order to tackle shortages. It is very important to understand that the medical devices have certain costs. We have to tackle the costs as we as regards the budget and the costs of medical devices? And member states will have to cover the costs of new devices. Thank you.”
  Medical devices
• 2026-07-14 “(10:24:24 - 10:26:17): You, chairman. I'm going to speak Lithuanian. Colleagues, I would like to thank the rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs. And I do understand that the situation is quite dire. The general budget for 2027, the draft budget sends a wrong signal to the member states because we agree with the cuts. And, mister Negrasco has said correctly, he enumerated very clearly the problems that we face when we reduce funding of the EU for Health program and when we do not provide sufficient funding to the NGOs in the health sector. But the signal itself, we are saying to the member states, even on the European Union Union level, when there are other challenges, we cut funding for public health. That's the signal we are sending, and that's the high political level signal to the member states. I think we need to come up with a coalition and stand against this because we have to say clearly that's not the right path. Investments in public health are strategic investments, strategic investments into the human capital, competitiveness and so on and so forth. The path we are choosing is the wrong 1. We have to resist together, and we need to have a common position, a coalition position saying that we can't agree with the cuts.”
  EU funding and budget allocation for health programmes
• 2026-07-14 “(15:41:47 - 15:43:45): Thank you very much. No. Thank you very much for coming along to our committee. You have set out a very detailed presidency, obviously agriculture, food and also there's the seafood sector as well. I was commissioner responsible for food security and for health, which meant that I was responsible for environmental issues, food security. I know that when it comes to all of these different topics, they are linked to having effective leadership, which Ireland has shown us. We know that very many of your farmers have been using new methods in order to grow products which are rich in omega-three. They've used different kinds of technologies to feed animals and poultry so that the eggs that are laid by chickens have a higher omega-three content. This is very good in terms of healthy food. Are you going to try and present and put forward Ireland's good practice? Because obviously, what you've been aiming to do in your agriculture is to put forward more healthy products. Are you going to be sharing your good experience with other member states so that our organic farming and then in other areas of agriculture as well, we can draw inspiration from what you have done in Ireland in such a way that better products, healthier products can be offered to the consumer?”
  Nutrition
• 2026-07-13 “(17:06:05 - 17:08:01): Thank you very much. I'd like to speak in Lithuanian, if I may. Thank you very much. Thank you for this comprehensive presentation, and I'm sorry for being late. But I managed to follow the discussion, and now I can see these options that were presented, the recommendations for our future work so that we could draft the comprehensive prevention strategy for children and youth? Because on the EU level, we can contribute a lot to the national programs of member states. But my question is as follows. I, as minister, happened to draft preventive programs for children, adolescents related to the fact as to how to prevent the growing number of suicides, colleagues. It is dramatic. It is terrible, and it is extremely hard. I faced hardship when I had to convince various sectors to organize the intersectoral coordinated work. We need both finances. We need knowledge. We need convincing municipalities to allocate financial resources because social support needs financing. So budgetary issues is very difficult to tackle. So my question is as follows. Do you have any analysis of certain member states that could be used as best practices for the efficient prevention of child and adolescent suicides? Thank you.”
  EU policy on mental health
• 2026-07-13 “(17:33:07 - 17:36:15): Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Welcome to our committee meeting. Thank you. Thanks a lot for your very clear lines presenting your presidency priority. Now after you, Lithuania will be. And then Greece, we are all in one boat, one three. But, of course, as just, you know, Adam Yarubas raised questions about the MFF and the EU for health budget. We can repeat once again. You know? It is our common goal to achieve a ring fenced EU for health budget in line with parliament's call for a dedicated €10,050,000,000 envelope in keeping in the program of public health focus. You know, we need to defend standalone program. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to, you, to Lithuanian, to Greece to explain to people that the health is disappearing from from of European Union policy. My I I am fully in line with Adam's question about the necessity to join our forces. And, of course, also, just slightly mentioned about biotech act. One, we are doing our best. I think I count on on on, you know, on island move forward just because we are from European parliament side, we are we are keen to finish our job in December. It would be good to align council efforts and parliament efforts to see how can we really achieve better result. But please keep in mind, we are not treating only biotech as competitiveness. We are treating biotech act as health driven ecosystem which can address patients' needs, accessibility, affordability of medicines, especially orphan medicines, so huge, so big file. And we can ask Ireland once again to champion, defending patients need orphan drugs, rare diseases, and so on. And, of course, finally, it would be good to also to know about your efforts to move forward, you know, mental health issues, especially keeping in mind young generation. You know, we listened. You're, you know, activists here in the parliament presenting, you know, necessity to strengthen European Union activities in mental health. We will be more than happy to to to see prevention and health equity in mental health. It would be very valuable, you know, priority, which should be supported for, you know, for all countries. And finally, I can remember you about Dublin declaration. You know, social inequalities, you know, health inequalities. They have so high on the agenda, and it would good to see your efforts to renew, Dublin declaration. We will we will be more than happy to support you to to move in such direction. Thank you very much. Please.”
  EU policy on mental health · EU funding and budget allocation for health programmes
• 2026-07-09 “Thank you very much for having made your presentation on the evaluation of the CFP. I remember Carmen, who was in charge of the CFP in the past. These same questions are being asked concerning the sector. Of course, we have to pay great attention to fisheries in the Baltic Sea, in the Mediterranean and elsewhere. We know that the third countries. Are causing many problems because they often exploit the resources In a very intensive fashion. We have to update our policy so that it is more modern and so on.”
  Environmental regulation of fisheries
• 2026-07-09 “(11:34:00 - 11:35:04): Thank you, commissioner, president, colleagues. Today, we are debating 28 regime for innovative startups and scale ups. But underneath this report lies a bigger question. What do we do when 27 national tax systems slow down innovations? If we cannot have full taxation and harmonization, we need a common European layer that our innovative start up and escape us no longer has to fight 27 tax administrations to grow. It is a sensible answer. I ask all of us to remember it also when we will discuss biotech health and and start ups issues. The same fragmentation is burdening a patient waiting for multicenter clinical trials or a innovative company wanting to create new medicine. If a single base can serve our companies, it must also serve our people who need innovative medicine available only through multi country clinical trials. You know what to do. The question is whether we will act for innovative biotech companies start ups today and for patients waiting innovative treatment tomorrow. Thank you.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• 2026-07-09 “(11:35:58 - 11:36:37): My answer is clear. No. We need to understand now. I need you to encourage member states to cooperate. Cross border health care directive requires cooperation. Open method of coordination requires cooperation. Mutual recognition requires cooperation. And, of of course, also, possibilities to to encourage members to understand that single market can deliver treatment to people and organize, access to treatment is is reality. We need to move in such a direction.”
  EU competences on health (internal-competence axis, sharpened)
• 2026-06-29 “Thank you so much, the chair, the commissioner, the colleagues. I'm very pleased to present today together with my colleague, corporator Walter Birchen, the joint draft report on the European Biotech Act. This is a joint SANT and ETHRAN effort, and I want to thank Wouter for the constructive cooperation and the balanced approach we have developed together and our teams and secretariats for their excellent work. Thanks a lot from EHA. Europe must remain a center of excellence in biotechnology, but excellence alone is not enough. We must be able to translate research into innovation, innovation into production, and production to real access for all patients in all 27 member states. And citizens everywhere in the Europe can can have access to to treatment. The EU Biotech Act represents a once in a generation opportunity to reposition Europe as a global destination for biotech innovation, investment, and therapy development. The proposal sets out interconnected pillars to ensure that the biotech act delivers on its triple mandate of competitiveness, leadership of European Union, and equal access to treatment with better treatment accessibility for patients at its core. Every strand of the biotech act must remain oriented towards complex scientific and technological prog progress so that Europe becomes become becomes an anchor of innovation and asserts itself as a leading continent in biotechnology. That must also play a key role in building a pan European freedom for research and innovation, removing, from fragmentation that still holds back scientific progress across the union. It will determine whether Europe leads or follows in the next decade of therapeutic innovation. The joint draft report contains 390 amendments. It puts forward a seat of several concrete solutions, and it is built around 1 basic idea. The European Biotech Act should become a real European framework, not a narrow sectorial instrument. It should connect competitiveness, public health, industrial capacity, patient access, scientific excellence, and safety. A central element is clinical trials. Today, Europe is too often slow, fragmented, and unpredictable. This is bad for researchers, bad for companies, and above all, bad for patients. Our report is, therefore, strengthens coordination, shortens timelines, and creates clearer procedures.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• 2026-06-29 “Thank you thank you so much, colleagues. On behalf of Dario Nardella and their colleagues, with the biotech act 1, we are working to build an integrated European biotech ecosystem, connect research, hospitals, regulators, patients, and industry. European biotech sovereignty must be strengthened with public support tied to social and vital and access conditions. We need a coherent European Union funding framework covering the full biotech value chain and stronger collaboration between academia and industries through the regional hubs and knowledge transfer mechanism. On clinical trials, reducing approval timelines from 106 days to 75 days is welcome. But given that The US, UK, and China operate within 30 days windows, we should be more ambitious. On data and AI, responsible use, full GDPR compliance, and interoperability of clinical data are now negotiable. Finally, on intellectual property, the SND group remains cautious about broad SPC extensions without clear supporting evidence. We firmly support biosimilar and off patent innovation as a fundamental driver of of affordability. The right balance between supporting European health care systems and strengthening European pharma industry will guide our approach to amendment through this process. Thank you.”
  Pharmaceuticals regulation in EU — innovation/access axis · Pharma IPRs
• 2026-06-29 “We enforce the law of European Medicines Agency and propose a clinical trial expert committee. We also include accelerated procedures for public health emergencies, serious cross border health threats, rare and ultra rare diseases, and critical medicines. Another major idea is to break the silo mentality. Europe has excellent hospitals, universities, innovative companies, clusters, biobanks, genomic initiatives, European networks, and public research infrastructures, but they are still too disconnected. I want to have to report their 4 strengths as biotech and technology strategic projects, high impact projects, and pan European high impact projects. The aim is to make Europe work as 1 ecosystem with less duplication, faster permitting, better regulatory coordination, and strongest cross border cooperation. This is also why interoperability and interconnected network are so important in this report. Your area must become a stronger backbone for rare diseases, rare cancers, and so on and so on, but real world evidence and cross border expertise for many rare complex diseases. No member states can do this alone. Europe can. Data and artificial intelligence are another core part of the report. Innovation needs highly qualified, interoperable, and secure data. We therefore strengthen data quality accelerators, links with European health data space, theater in learn learning and privacy preserving data models. We want AI to support diagnostic, personalized medicine, evidence generation, and better clinical development, but always with meaningful human oversight, cybersecurity, data protection, and safeguards against bias. We also include new approach methodologies that that provide better science and better evidence and can improve the development of medicines and other biotechnological products. On financing, the problem is too many companies can start a new but cannot sail in Europe. The RAV, therefore, strengthens the investment pilot proposing European biotechnology scale up fund and support better coordination with a European Investment Bank Group, national promotional banks, institutional investors, and union programs. We need more risk tolerant capital, especially for late stage development, advanced therapies, orphan medicines, manufacturing capacity, and scale prep. The report also strengthens biosecurity and preparedness. Biotechnology brings enormous opportunities, but we must also address the risk of misuse, such as AI enabled biological research or the possible development of mirror life system. This is why we include the EU biotech radar, nuclear acid synthetic synthetic screenings, and stronger guidance, better cooperation, and, of course, together with all agencies on on health approach. Finally, the report keeps a strong health focus by recognizing biotechnology as a broader enabling technology. It covers bio manufacturing, advanced therapies, biosimilars, novel foods, whereby technology can also support health, nutrition, and patient care. Europe cannot afford to put on entire sector on innovate innovative food production and and on hold while United States and China moving forward. Colleagues, our ambition is simple. Europe should not only discover the power technology of the future. Europe should develop it, manufacture, regulate, and and be leaders. Thank you.”
  Pharmaceuticals regulation in EU — innovation/access axis
• 2026-06-24 “(09:39:05 – 09:40:19): Thank you so much. Thank you for your presentation. Very, you know, useful. But my question is practical. You know you are from Krakow, Poland. My question is, in in Poland, you have a lot of biobanks, bioregistries. You have patient registries. And, of course, you know that you can use interconnecting, you know, possibilities to to exchange data. How it looks in practical way? Because I know many, many countries where interoperability is big, big challenge. Because 2nd question, if we are speaking about European health data space, we need to have very standardized data. You know, you know, methodologically because otherwise, it was not data. And it my question is, are you, ready to say that, yes, we need now to to collect standardized data at EU level, allow you know, encouraging the Aerostat and others, you know, to to be responsible on methodology, standardization, and possibility to encourage member states to to to go fast in in such standard this way to sharing data with European health data space, infrastructure.”
  Processing of health data
• 2026-06-22 “(17:23:45 – 17:26:46): Thank you, the chairman. I can see that, indeed, you are trying hard to fight this heat, which is present and which even overcomes the air conditioning system. But here, I have in my hands a very interesting, comparison, which I found on the Internet. TV France in 2014 forecasted heat waves to come in 2050. And then they said that in 2050, there will going to be, 41 degrees Celsius, 48 degrees Celsius. So how unexpected that we found find this heat today? And, I'm glad to see that this comparison is so important to show those people who don't understand that this climate change, how important it is. And as a medical doctor, I can tell you that we're going to lose a lot of lives because of heat wake waves. Heart strokes, trauma and bolias are going to claim lives. Up to 50000 are losing lives every year because of heat waves, people who could live otherwise. Next, we can understand perfectly well the difficult relationship with pandemics and climate disasters. Now as never before, we have to see those disasters in front of our eyes and understand that they arise due to climate change. I would agree to all the comments that have been expressed before me, but I would stress that it's highly important to raise efforts made by the health sector, efficient efforts done to protect people from the climate change, especially as regards the elderly population. Also, health related to men's health, respiratory diseases, all of which are related to climate change. And 1 health approach is especially highly important element here, and I would wish our coauthors of this resolution to pay attention to the fact that the health problematics should be very clearly laid out here in this resolution because it efficiently protects also people from 3rd countries. It also raises awareness of all of us that all of us are in front of a huge health crisis. Therefore, I welcome moving towards the circular economy, green technologies, technologies aimed at avoiding food waste. And I, as a commissioner, have worked very hard for this, and I can tell you that these authors of the resolution could even be more ambitious. Thank you.”
  Climate policy
• 2026-06-17 “Thank you, dear commissioner, dear colleagues. Protecting European Union citizens' data from hybrid threat is of paramount importance in this digital age. When data is compromised, citizens lose confidence not only in their governments but in the very system designed to serve them. Unfortunately, Lithuanians, they have experienced exact disease during increasing breach of national register center. Although authorities said that no crucial personal data was stolen, IT services fixed the gap and started criminal investigation without delay. And this is this was 1 of the reasons why information was not conveyed to the public immediately. In this episode, it illustrated a broader vulnerability. The incidents exposes the limits of relying solely on individual member states' interpretations and protocols when it comes to the security of critical digital infrastructure. I believe there is a clear need for more stringent European level guidelines both on the security standards required such an end on how authorities should communicate.”
  Scope of EU cybersecurity obligations
• 2026-06-17 “Thank you, dear Commissioner. Dear colleagues. Protecting European Union citizens. Data from hybrid threats is of paramount importance in this digital age. When data is compromised, citizens lose confidence not only in their governments but in the very system designed to serve them. Unfortunately, Lithuanians have experienced exactly this during recent breach of National Register Centre. Although authorities said that no crucial personal data was stolen, IT services fixed the gap and started criminal investigation without delay. And this is this was one of the reasons why information was not conveyed to the public immediately. In this episode is illustrated a broader vulnerability. The incident exposes the limits of relying solely on individual member states interpretations and protocols when it comes to the security of critical digital infrastructure. I believe there is a clear need for more stringent European level guidelines, both on the security standards required for such an end. On how authorities should communicate. Thank you.”
  Scope of EU cybersecurity obligations
• 2026-06-16 “(11:43:43 – 11:44:47): The vice president, high representative, you have just said that those who initiate the war do not carry a responsibility. The responsibility, the suffering falls on ordinary people. I am quoting you. My question and proposal is very simple. Could you take the initiative and announce that Netanyahu and Trump are persona non grata under these circumstances? This would equal to a diplomatic declaration, a statement. Of course, we can choose the proper wording, but we have to say very clearly that the European Union has a very clear and principled position in relation to the international law. Moreover, you are meeting with the, foreign ministers and the prime ministers of the coalition states, and we have to start implementing these positions. Otherwise, we will not reach good result. Thank you.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• 2025-09-19 “P-003636/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission The Commission has already implemented several recommendations of the 2015 report, in particular: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/564 1 has harmonised the content and format of the records for professional users of plant protection products (PPP) under Article 67 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 2 , which will improve traceability and facilitate control of the use of PPP across the EU. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/574 3 has set out detailed rules for the identification of unacceptable co-formulants in PPP. Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1487 4 has established a work programme for the gradual review of safeners and synergists. Thus, the rules concerning the composition of PPP are further harmonised at EU level which will facilitate the control on their manufacturing, import and marketing. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2104 5 of 27 June 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 6 (OCR) has established a pre-notification system (TRACES) under which competent authorities may request notification of PPP entering the territory of the Member State concerned. A draft Regulation for updating labelling requirements for PPP is currently discussed in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed. 7 The draft sets a specific labelling requirement as regards PPP subject to parallel trade permits 8 and traceability requirements 1 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/564/oj. 2 http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1107/oj. 3 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/574 of 13 March 2023 setting out detailed rules for the identification of unacceptable co-formulants in plant protection products in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 75, 14.3.2023, pp. 7–14, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/574/oj). 4 Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1487 of 29 May 2024 defining data requirements for the approval of safeners and synergists and establishing a work programme for the gradual review of safeners and synergists on the market in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, (OJ L, 2024/1487, 30.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1487/oj). 5 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2104 of 27 June 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the cases where and the conditions under which competent authorities may request operators to notify the arrival of certain goods entering the Union, ( OJ L, 2024/2104, 25.9.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2024/2104/oj). 6 Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation) , OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, pp. 1–142, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/625/oj. 7 https://food.ec.europa.eu/document/download/3e779648-c268-48fc-97f227b5efaf49f9_en?filename=sc_phyto_20250709_ppl_sum.pdf. 8 In line with the judgment of the European Court of Justice in Case C-830/21, Syngenta Agro - it should be clarified that the batch number of the formulation concerned allocated by the initial manufacturer, the permit number and the name and address of the permit holder should be included on the label of a parallel traded”
  EU policy on pesticides · Pesticides & trade
• 2025-06-05 “P-002268/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) post exposure prophylaxis is an effective HIV prevention tool for those who have been exposed to HIV via sexual or injecting transmission. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommends that Member States follow the clinical guidelines of the European AIDS Clinical Society on post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV 1 which include the recommendation for ‘Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to be started ideally less than 4 hours after the exposure, and no later than 48/72 hours’. ECDC has also published a short health education video that reiterates this recommendation 2 . This recommendation is in line with the World Health Organization’s guidelines 3 . While Regulation 2022/2371 4 provides for strengthened surveillance and early warning for outbreaks and for clear action pathways for preparedness and in case of a health crisis at EU level, the provision of medical care within the EU stays a national competence pursuant to Article 168(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The TFEU spells out that the Union’s action shall respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care. 1 https://www.eacsociety.org/media/guidelines-12.0.pdf. 2 https://youtu.be/v1TZxYufIEI?si=u-3PZlSFAEOFvvSM. 3 https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240095137. 4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L:2022:314:FULL&from=EN.”
  EU competences on health (internal-competence axis, sharpened)
• 2025-05-08 “E-001812/2025 E-001857/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission Regulation (EU) 609/2013 1 regulates some categories of food that constitute a partial or sole source of nourishment for certain population groups and that are vital for the management of certain conditions and/or are essential to satisfy the nutritional requirements of certain clearly identified vulnerable population groups. Article 12 of that Regulation requires the Commission to analyse in a report, after consulting the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the necessity of special provisions for milkbased drinks and similar products intended for young children (young-child formulae). The 2016 Report 2 concludes that there is no need for specific rules for these foods as the correct and complete application of existing measures of EU food law seems sufficient to adequately regulate the composition of and the communication on the characteristics of the products. In particular, the Report notes that there is no reported safety issue with regard to young-child formulae and refers to EFSA's opinion 3 whereby these products have ‘no unique role’ and ‘cannot be considered as a necessity to satisfy the nutritional requirements of young children’ when compared to other foods that may be included in their normal diet. The Commission is aware of the revised Codex Alimentarius standard 4 , which did not change its position on the opportunity to regulate at EU level young-child formulae. Its Preamble clarifies that ‘The application of the standard should be consistent with national/regional health and nutrition policies and relevant national/regional legislation (…).’ In light of the Better Regulation principles and the rules on the internal market, the Commission does not intend to propose the adoption of specific rules on young-child formulae. 1 Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on food intended for infants and young children, food for special medical purposes, and total diet replacement for weight control and repealing Council Directive 92/52/EEC, Commission Directives 96/8/EC, 1999/21/EC, 2006/125/EC and 2006/141/EC, Directive 2009/39/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulations (EC) No 41/2009 and (EC) No 953/2009, OJ L 181, 29.6.2013, p. 35. 2 Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on young child formulae, COM(2016) 169 final. 3 Scientific Opinion on nutrient requirements and dietary intakes of infants and young children in the European Union, https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3408. 4 Codex Standard for Follow-Up Formula for Older Infants and Product for Young Children: CXS 156-1987, https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/shproxy/es/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%2 52FCXS%2B156-1987%252FCXS_156e.pdf.”
  Nutrition
• 2025-02-05 “P-000511/2025 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission Preparatory work for the 2025 EU4Health Work Programme is on-going in cooperation with the Member States to identify strategic orientations and priorities for 2025. Relevant stakeholders have also been consulted as part of this process. The on-going preparations of the 2025 Work Programme also take into account the transition to the new Commission, which took office in December 2024, the need to integrate new mission letter priorities into the programme, and the need to implement the reduced EU4Health programme budget from 2025 onwards. The EU4Health Programme is a key instrument for addressing the EU's most pressing health priorities and driving progress in the EU's health sector. The Commission remains committed to delivering on the Programme's objectives and ensuring its continued relevance and impact.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.) · EU competences on health
• 2024-12-13 “E-002948/2024 Answer given by Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission The Commission recognises the importance of integrated patient care pathways in addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and associated chronic pain. For example, the joint action JACARDI 1 on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes aims to improve patient care pathways and address all aspects of a patient’s health, including chronic pain. The Commission will step up its efforts on preventive health ensuring a comprehensive approach to health promotion and disease prevention 2 . The first exchange of views on these new priorities was held with the Expert Group on Public Health 3 on 30 January 2025. This provided the opportunity to discuss how the Commission can best and most effectively support Member States in preventing and managing NCDs, and associated conditions like chronic pain. The Commission recognises the need to develop solutions to efficiently tackle chronic pain. Two call topics 4 were recently opened under the Horizon Europe Programme 5 including one linked to the scoping review 6 that offered researchers in the pain area an opportunity to apply for research funding. Horizon Europe will continue to offer opportunities for research funding, as call topics are broad enough to accommodate for pain research. 1 https://jacardi.eu/ 2 https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/b628b5a2-ac1e-4b9c-bbdd35b82da0ac6b_en?filename=mission-letter-varhelyi.pdf 3 https://health.ec.europa.eu/non-communicable-diseases/expert-group-public-health_en 4 These topics included: ‘Tackling high burden for patients, under-researched medical conditions’ https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-hlth2024-disease-03-14-two-stage and ‘Novel approaches for palliative and end-of life care for non-cancer patients’ https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-hlth2023-disease-03-01 5 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-opencalls/horizon-europe_en 6 https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/eae32303-96e3-11ed-b508-01aa75ed71a1/language-en”
  EU competences on health · EU policy on mental health
• “Thank you. Dear Commissioner, I welcome your today's statement. The predictable unpredictability of Trump's policies is a challenge, and the Trump's brutal tariff war and nationalist Protectionism are a real threat. We must stay united and determined in promoting and defending rule based global trade and multilateralism. And of course, we need to intensify trade with other markets like Mercosur, modernise and capitalize our benefits of existing free trade agreements with Canada and Mexico. But we must urgently complete our single market, urgently provide EU wide, targeted support for impacted European industries and our affected regions. State aid to our industries and small and medium enterprises is necessary. We must buy European goods and services and promote Made in Europe products. Our strategic, industrial and autonomy demands it. Thank you.”
  EU-US trade relations
• “Mr. chairman, Commissioner, I wouldn't want to repeat what has been said regarding women's discrimination and salaries of women. However, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Commission possesses a lot of leverage. It has. It is in the position to apply pressure to countries so that they would implement their obligations in the area of the social pillar. Their economic programs should state clearly how soon and how quickly they will try and reduce this pay gap, because it is shameful to be talking about poverty among women and among single mothers. Um, this is a moral problem in this day and time. We need to make sure that we strengthen our leverage and control via the program.”
  Gender pay transparency
• “Thank you, Mr. President. Commissioner, I welcome the repower EU roadmap. I think that the political courses really a right one. You should also propose measures to monitor the situation in member States, how they are going to phase out the imports of Russian gas. Lithuania decided to discontinue the imports of energy resources from Russia back in 2022. I think that other member states should follow this to the suit. I also welcome your proposals on the liquefied natural gas. I hope you will make legislative proposals soon, and I hope that the measures will be implemented very soon. I would like to say that Nord Stream is a dead project, both in political and economic sense, and if Putin and Trump decides on reviving it, we should prevent this. Thank you.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Thank you. Thank you so much. I also congratulate you because such ambition, agreeing simple and market oriented common Agricultural policy is excellent. But now I can address questions you just mentioned in the programme about necessity to develop. Agricultural products while ensuring a level playing field in the EU. My question is related to direct payments. A level playing field? Yes. You know very well that Central and Eastern European countries have less direct payments compared to Western, and promised was done 14 years ago that it would be equalized convergence. My question is to you, are you ready to solve those problems? Second issue small about Baltic Sea fishery. You just mentioned that that you will draw attention on fishing opportunities in Baltic Sea. It would be good to know concrete steps because Baltic Sea is in big challenges today. And third, one issue related to antimicrobial resistance. It is a use of antibiotics in veterinary field. Are you capable to press much member states that they can go into goals minimizing use of antibiotics in in in veterinary fields. Thank you.”
  Antimicrobial resistance · Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
• “Thank you, Madam Chair. Honourable Commissioner and honourable colleagues. The European Union response to Trump's actions is to take immediate retaliatory actions, both within the WTO and by using our trade defence instruments, imposing tariffs and pursuing remedies through the Enforcement Regulation, the Anti Coercion Instrument and the Safeguarding Regulation. We cannot afford to let Trump divide us. Only unity of our actions will determine the success of our response. We will pursue our own agenda, developing global standards on issues like climate change and clean industry and rule based multilateral cooperation, and develop our trade agreement with Mercosur and other partners, as you mentioned. And now it's a very difficult time for our patriots, our our sovereign groups, because they see how it is difficult to speak about about conservative agenda and and far right ideas.”
  EU-US trade relations
• “Thank you. Thank you so much, Commissioner. Welcome. And I listened very carefully. Uh, related. Just your presentation. You know, I know three words better regulation, simplification and deregulation. All these three words are empty for me because I need reasonable regulation, good regulation, responsible economically based regulation and so on and so on. Now we are all repeating that simplification and sorry to say issue is very important. Now council conclusions were in our hands. One Europe, one market. Now come to conclusions. It's time to speak about more centralised, more standardised, more efficient system which should be in some in some medical devices, which should be assessed at EU level and should be available in all 27 Member States. Now we have jungles of notifying borders, jungles of, of, you know, of, of Overlappings and so on and so on, and bureaucracy, not because of Brussels bureaucracy, because of member states are introducing a lot of bureaucracies. We need to go into understanding. We need a common device, common pan European device policy, with keeping in mind much more centralised decisions and standardised and very well equipped and mandatory participation and mandatory uptake. That mantra is crucial.”
  Medical devices
• “Thank you, chairman commissioner. Thank you very much indeed for your very excellent, presentation. Of course, let me tell to our room, to our parliament. But now can you imagine we had Zika, outbreak, we had Ebola, monkeypox, COVID 19, now once again antivirus. It can show us how it is important to have on in in our hands, you know, European solidarity mechanism, union civil protection mechanism, strong ACDC, and, of course, budget. Commissioner, please, tell me, are you ready to defend European health EU for health program, which should allow us to be more active and more, strongest? Of course, health care work for shortages. A lot of challenges in front of us. But, also, let me remind to you, we need to conclude the pandemic treaty because in in May 1, it was not achieved. We need to move forward to pressing globally our our governments to ratify annex of this treaty. This is an emergency. We need to do it.”
  EU competences on health (internal-competence axis, sharpened)
• “Thank you so much, Madam President. Commissioner. Colleagues. Europe is the continent experienced the fastest rate of heating. Its rate of heating is twice the global average. It is very important to say this message to those who deny climate change. A very good example. Therefore, we are at the forefront of this new dangerous trend. Before, because of that, Europe is experiencing longer and more intense transmission seasons for mosquito and tick borne diseases, and it should be kept in mind. Of course, despite a record number of deaths from heat and climate change related concerns. We have big problems ahead of us. Over the past years, a number of countries affected by, for example, Asian tiger mosquitoes, mosquitoes spreading chikungunya virus is is is doubled. The number of the regions with the presence of mosquitoes increased by 223% in last decade. It's once again message to those who do not understand. What does it mean? Surveillance. Protection, prevention. Preparedness. Control. Actions and possibilities to protect and to to also to to understand that we need to to to to have vaccination in our hands. Tick borne encephalitis which is spread by encephalitis ticks is is once again on the rise. And I am welcome Baltic countries where vaccination against tick borne encephalitis shows very good results. I welcome the Commission's intentions. I urge member States to do more and include the European Commission proposal into their national action plans curbing mosquito borne diseases. Thank you.”
  Vaccination
• “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am speaking on behalf of Biljana Borzan. S&d supports European Commission and Efsa. This objection is not grounded in science, but in political and ideological theatre. Efsa has thoroughly assessed this product and confirmed it is safe for human consumption. The only noted risk is for those with certain allergies. Like any other food we consume. But that is clearly addressed through mandatory labeling, fully in line with European Union general food law. The objection claims that regulation fails to meet food safety and labelling standards. That is simply false. All legal and scientific requirements have been fulfilled. The Commission is even taking further steps to support research on allergenicity, showing a responsible and forward looking approach. More importantly, this is about consumer choice. Once a product is deemed safe, it is not. Our role as politicians doesn't matter where on which political grounds we are representing to tell people what they can or cannot eat. Consumers will be clearly informed and they can make their own decisions. Supporting innovations like this is beneficial. If you want to meet our environmental goals and to ensure food security. I am sure some of us would not want to try or eat this kind of novel food, but we must not prohibit the consumption of this food to those who make an informed choice to do so. We have consistently supported authorisation of safe, novel foods, including yellow mealworms based on science, but not on ideology on political arguments. There is no valid reason to block this product. I urge you to reject the objection and stand by. Science and consumers freedom. Thank you.”
  EU policy on novel foods
• “Thank you so much, Commissioner. Thank you. Big picture is okay, but let me go to small picture. Concretely operating grounds. Operating grants represented only 1% of the European Union for health budget in 2024, and allocated 30 cross-border health NGOs to operate. The European Union's decision to discontinue this His grant is a very big mistake. European Commission, citing the need to refocus your core task. Has forced NGOs and civil society organisations to cut stuff, cancelled projects and discontinue essential services. For example, in the area of HIV where NGOs provide testing, prevention, ensuring treatment, counselling and so on and so on. The decision to defund the third sector NGOs will gradually affect public health outcomes, while member states are responsible for their own health care system. Eu can operate only if you have a very strong NGO sector you can move forward. My question how does the Commission to plan to cover the gap left by the discontinuation of operating grants and avoid falling back on the progress we have achieved? Thank you.”
  Public and private sectors role in healthcare services
• “Dear chairman, Commissioner, Russia has deliberately exploited our energy dependency as an attack on European security and prosperity by advancing the full ban on Russian oil to January 2026 and on gas to January 2027. Seven. Europe sends a firm message we will never again be held hostage by Kremlin coercion. We must close all sanctions, loopholes, target the Russian shadow fleet, and ensure that any gas transiting through Russia is treated as Russian and fully prohibited, gradually phasing out Russian gas imports, cutting risk dependencies and blocking circumventions. Strengthens our sovereignty. This regulation also reinforces important import verification and enforcement, including minimum administrative fines of 5% of the infringing company's worldwide annual turnover. This is a clear statement Europe will defend its energy independence, its economy and its values. Thank you.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Commissioner, I support those colleagues who say that this proposal of the MFF made by the Commission does not ensure us to fight the future challenges. We have more challenges than we could fight with this budget financing, enlargement, financing, social cohesion, European health system priority. Health union priorities. Strengthening the health union in the European Union. Also, bearing in mind that we need security guarantees. But Social security should move together with greater financing of the European Social Fund. This is what is needed for security. So we suggest that the Commission prepares a new project.”
  Size of EU budget
• “Madam chair, dear Commissioner, you know very well Manuel hater. Report. Align. Act. Accelerate. This report is based on letter. Report proposing fifth freedom but fifth freedom for research innovation require infrastructure and ecosystem at pan-European supranational level. And of course Draghi mentioned about necessity to build research and innovation. Union. Union requires a lot of efforts at pan-European whole of commissioner's approach and the whole of government approach. We are proposing to to to do to establish pilot project using European reference networks, using artificial intelligence fabrics, using health data space, using Biobanks and 1 million genomic to build an ecosystem and infrastructure in the area of rare diseases, rare cancers and low prevalence diseases. It would be a good example to have pan-European infrastructure. I will send you our proposals.”
  Processing of health data
• “Mr. chairman, Commissioner, I wouldn't want to repeat what has been said regarding women's discrimination and salaries of women. However, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Commission possesses a lot of leverage. It has. It is in the position to apply pressure to countries so that they would implement their obligations in the area of the social pillar. Their economic programs should state clearly how soon and how quickly they will try and reduce this pay gap, because it is shameful to be talking about poverty among women and among single mothers. Um, this is a moral problem in this day and time. We need to make sure that we strengthen our leverage and control via the program.”
  Gender pay transparency
• “Thank you. We had an opportunity to work together when I was a commissioner responsible for food safety and health, and I remember our successful cooperation and I'm very proud to see your nomination. But my question will be related to the new breeding techniques or the new genome technique. The precise breeding techniques, in other words, techniques which were used when we were trying to breed new organisms, uh, those plants which could be used as a high performance feed, those plants which would allow us to use as little pesticides and water as possible, and would allow us also to take better care of our environment. And I would like to hear your opinion about this, new techniques, these new breeding techniques. And do you have enough capacity to go further in this field? Because we understand that it requires an enormous scientific effort. Thank you.”
  New Genomic Techniques
• “Dear, dear Oksana. Slava Ukraini. I myself will speak in Lithuanian, since Lithuania feels very much the drama of Ukraine and we are united with Ukraine and it's really obvious what you are presenting today is a very relevant is a very good example for all 27 EU member states. I used to be a commissioner responsible for health, safety and health in general back in 2014, 2019. And what can I say, such integrated projects that speak about non-medical tools, but other tools available that really strengthen the entire system much better than pills, than medications. And it is another case in point. What an integrated approach health in all mental health means in all health and policy measures and segments. And this intersectorial interdisciplinary plan is very important. All inclusive plan is very important. And you are the leaders here. No other country has done that much. And I can really tell you that very few countries can present such an all inclusive model. You are the pioneers that can do all this. My question is, well, you need a lot of financial resources for such an integrated approach for such a project. And each sector has to have a separate budget line to guarantee the implementation and long term effect of such measures. Well, we need to ensure long term financial stability for the project and this is a challenge for you. And my question is whether you are not merging this project with the within the context of the EU membership or negotiating negotiations for accession. So to receive more support from the EU. Thank you very much. And Slava Ukraini.”
  EU enlargement
• “Thank you. Thank you chairman. Thank you so much for very excellent presentation of presidency countries. Now we are also listening to you very carefully because next year is Ireland, Lithuania, Greece. And of course we are looking very carefully into your agenda, keeping in mind the issues which should be in continuity. And of course, as you know, I just mentioned about enlargement, institutional reforms and about, you know, activities may, you know, excellent, excellent study sailing on High Seas, presented by German and French experts. 12 experts were presented their view what Europe should do in front of enlargement institutions. Cyprus is surrounded with sea and you are sailing clearly in high seas. You know it clearly. But my question is you are just mentioning unity. Unity, unity, unity. But unity doing nothing is not unity and unity. Doing all issues with unanimity is also not unity. Unity is diversity in unity and mobilities in mobilities movement which can strengthen our union and strengthen our unity. It would be good to know. Are you ready to be leading countries saying yes, let's go from let's go And let's move into unity through possibilities to discuss issues which varies in the future of Europe. European Parliament and you know, I'm proposing also maybe next debates involving much more, uh, you know, NGOs and civil society be in front of those challenges because unity requires courage, strength and movement.”
  EU political integration
• “I'd like to support this initiative. I think that the Senate committee could arrange a debates on humanitarian aid and in the context of different conventions. What would be? What sanctions should not be applied? Not to hurt the provision of medicines, the necessary equipments hygiene products. This is a very serious issue and we could debate it. If the colleague could present his material in a general sense, we could see how we could involve the committee in this debate, because it's also the the duty of the European Union in the area of humanitarian aid. I think this is a very important issue.”
  EU Development & Humanitarian Aid
• “Madam president, Commissioner, of course, I fully in line with you. And it is a very big achievement to to see simplification. Of course not deregulation. And of course all package is very important to, to, to, to, to our farmers. But let me remind you that common agricultural policy should be also kept in hands of European Commission, not at a level of national and national governments. We need to guarantee pan-European mechanism especially. And of course, budget is very important. And as you know, in in old style. Direct payments to farmers must be unified. Its old promise of European Commission. Very old one. An equal pay for equal jobs requires Unification of direct payments to all farmers in every member state. It is our solidarity. Thanks a lot.”
  Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
• “I would like to add, of course, a definition really is absolutely misleading because please keep in mind, if you will go into direction P4 medicine it means prevention. Preventive, predictive, personalized and participatory. And then you can find discover much more cases, especially keeping in mind personalized treatment which is now going more and more and more in details in very difficult composition genomics epigenomics situation. Patient and it require a lot of new, new discoveries. And believe me, there is you know, it's it's not a reality. It can help us to understand a lot of chronic diseases and obesity in the same case, because obesity is also not till now is not not from medical pathology point of view. Not not so clear. And we need to keep in mind that we are having a lot of challenges around us and we need to to understand now using new wave of development of medical medicines, technologies, genetic, you know, cells development and so on. It's only one way now to, to to to establish, you know, level which can allow us to be to be faster, quicker than now. Why I'm raising question. You know that in EU you have two types of countries small one and those who do not understand they are small because, you know, because they 90 million patients, 90 million inhabitants. Can you compare with India or with China where they have big data? Billions. And we are. What can you do with 90 million data? Nothing. Or with 3,000,450 million? More or less. And it's about health and health data space. It's about situation of better treatment and delivery, treatment on the ground in every member state to the people. But we need to understand complexity and and interlinkages. But otherwise we will will lost absolutely all issues in the future we will follow then China, India, United States and those who are much, much active compared to us because if we will so to be very separate.”
  Processing of health data
• “Thank you, dear chairman. Commissioner. Of course, the summer heat waves in Europe have become an urgent crisis, claiming over 175,000 lives per year annually. It's a very big challenge for all of us. Of course, it's not an environmental issue. Only, not only social issues. Also is is a public health issue. And of course it's cost a lot. It also creates a lot of economic challenges. The European Union must address the causes and consequences of climate change as it is affecting the basic rights to health, security and life of citizens. And of course, we need comprehensive housing policies, as all speakers mentioned, about about cooling system and so on. Of course, health care systems must be equipped and must be prepared because this is a crisis issue like cross-border healthcare directive, like cross-border health threats, climate change also belongs to them. And we need what we need. Of course, financial means, and it means European Health Union should be expanded and should be equipped by, by, by all programmes. And of course, health policies is one clear example.”
  EU climate adaptation and disaster preparedness
• “Thank you, Madam President. Commissioner, we are lagging behind. This is true. Strategies have been drafted. They concern innovations. They speak about industry, about added value. But we also have to speak about capital markets because we are losing on many fronts. Uh, we are discussing biotech the biotech act. Uh, it is very important for our health, but we also need financial mechanisms in order to implement it. The Savings and Investments Union would be one of the elements which could promote biotechnologies. We would be able to develop new drugs, diagnostic equipment and new technologies which are so badly needed to hundreds of millions of our patients. I am very happy to hear that we will work very hard in order to make progress in developing the savings, savings and investments Union. Thank you.”
  European Banking Union
• “Thank you. Thank you very much. Dear president, dear Commissioner. The European Union faces a critical juncture marked by geopolitical shifts, transnational crises and internal complexities for geopolitical reasons. The European Union enlargement is high on the political agenda. But the European Union is not ready yet to welcome new members. Neither institutional nor policy wise. You remember the excellent report which shows that we need to do more. And only one way is to do our homework. To encourage member States to do their homework. We need a much broader multiannual Financial framework budget we need on our own resources we need to integrate and Ukraine into EU as soon as possible. Only one way is to achieve peace the integration Ukrainian to EU. Thank you.”
  EU enlargement
• “Thank you very much indeed. Thank you for your excellent presentations. You know, I followed your presentations with big, big attention because I was, you know, responsible for presenting the, you know, anti IMR strategy related to to all aspects human veterinarian and and environmental composition. My question is. Of course, quite complicated. You know that we are following sepsis events in hospitals. A lot of sceptical issues which always raise questions about Amr, about the possibility to, to, to, to, to follow those patients and and and combination of treatments. But my question is do you have excellent you know like you say surveillance system which can show us where we really are in our hospitals through all European Union because all 27 member states. And the second issue, the are you sure that we we continue, you know, quite well developed a surveillance system around big factories or big, big cities related to sewage because in sewage in Brussels, I think also you can raise these questions are how we can monitor situation in the water because around, you know, big cities you can find a lot of challenges. My question is, are you capable to present some common picture of control in sewage related to antibiotics and and residuals? Thanks a lot.”
  Antimicrobial resistance
• “Thank you, thank you, dear chairman. Dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, I heard a lot of misinformation and lies when we are speaking about sanitary and phytosanitary standards. Colleagues. European sanitary and phytosanitary are not negotiable. The EU has very stringent standards to protect human, animal and plant health, and any product sold in the EU must comply with the European Union standards. I being Commissioner for Food Safety and Health, I know very well that it is an unrelated And an alternate regardless of trade agreement. Eu animal, plant and health and food safety import controls is very strict and we can control all third countries. Doesn't matter if this agreement is. I welcome this Mercosur because I was involved in 2019 of course Paris agreement and and trade and sustainable development. Inclusion is very well done and we need to go forward and see. Thank you.”
  Trade relations with Mercosur
• “Thank you, thank you. Chairman. Dear Commissioner, you are rightly mentioned that we are still 20 years speaking about the same problems. But now Digital Union is not completed. Energy Union is not completed. I know our our railway infrastructure is in difficulties and when we are speaking about necessity to do something more. First of all, we need to stress very much that we need to develop pan-European infrastructure in digital, in energy, in transport and of course also rightly mentioned about fifth freedom, freedom for research, investment and innovation. But it require also infrastructure in in, in, in our research and and and innovations. It means life science strategy should be connected with with internal market strategy. Hands in hands. Otherwise we can lose once again competitive competitiveness investment and and progress made in Europe require more integration. Asian.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Thank you. I would like to thank the rapporteur and I would like to thank the commissioner as well. I believe that today's discussion is a very timely one. It's very important to talk about fighting against unfair trading practices in the agri food sector. When farmers are forced to sell below costs, when there are last minute cancellations or contract changes unilaterally, the contracts are cancelled. All this turned the agri food chain unfair and it also provides ample space for exploitation. And in my country, this problem is particularly topical because we have a lot of small farmers, small producers, and they face enormous challenges. Milk producers, vegetable and fruit producers have a very small margins and the retail chains are becoming stronger and stronger. All that affects pricing. So that's why control of unfair trading practices and the promotion of the cooperation amongst enforcement authorities is really a good thing to support.”
  EU policy on farmer–buyer relations in the agri-food supply chain
• “Thank you, the chairman, the commissioner. European Union lacks a coherent and unified mental health strategy that will be implemented on a cross-sectorial basis. There should be better coordination, regulation of harmful practices. And better monitoring across member states. Mental health should not be silent as a health sector issue only but integrated into jobs, education, digital policy, social inclusion and addiction strategies and must pay special attention to gender issues—women, men and gender diverse people. Mental health such strategy should establish binding minimum standards for workplace psychological protection, regulate digital technologies through the lens of cognitive integrity and youth well-being, together with integrating policies on addiction in broader public health strategy. Excessive screen time, especially on social media, correlates with risk of anxiety, depression and lower self-esteem. We need to pay very, a very big attention on children's issues and youngest because it is a very big challenge and we need to establish digital regulation especially for minors as a key in preventing the mental health problems among them. Thank you Commissioner.”
  EU policy on mental health
• “Thank you. Thank you, Adam, for an excellent summary of our our our mission. And thanks a lot. Once again. Uh, you know, Oksana, because it was very interrelated with our impression, with our experience. Of course, I will be very brief. Thanks, Nico. You just mentioned very important issue. We need to rethink our cooperation between the European Parliament and Ukrainian parliament. We need to establish joint committee. We need to find new ways now as never before. New ways to. To expand our capacities, to have joint committee together and to see, to establish permanent cooperation, permanent debates, possibilities to visit to to understand that, of course, organize our common seminars, common roundtables, debates, because it is our duty to help Ukraine to integrate all areas, especially in the area of health care and related to European Union standards. It's up to us now, up to us in our duties to to establish a joint committee. My proposal is very simple. We need to do it in a different way compared to, you know, to, to to situation when it was in 2004. In 2004, it's absolutely different situation than ten members joined the EU. Now we have absolutely different need. We it is necessary to find new instruments and new ways. And my proposal is simple. Let's start with possibilities to organize joint permanent committee with European between the European Parliament and Ukrainian Rada. It can help us a lot. Only mission you know, related to some, you know, events. It's not enough. We need to find new ways. Thanks a lot.”
  EU enlargement
• “Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Commissioner colleagues. Today we are talking about the issue which we start discussing in 2010 when Jacques Delors and President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek announced the new European Energy Community. And now in almost 2026, we still see how difficult it is to actually implement the interconnections to connect our grids, so that we've got a common energy market in the European Union and achieve the most affordable energy prices, not just for the Finns or the other ones who've got cheaper energy, but for every European, and especially those who suffer because of the lack of energy supply, because they can't use the potential of of the neighbouring countries. This grids package is very timely, and today it is extremely important to say that the European Commission has to come up with a very concrete plan with a timelines, when the national energy strategies have to be implemented so that we are interconnected in the European Union. Thank you.”
  EU energy infrastructure integration
• “Thank you. Chair. Commissioner Maros, you know very well very excellent work. Better regulation, not deregulation, not less regulation, but better regulation. And we know how it is difficult to achieve, especially keeping in mind that the jungles are rooted at member state level. At first my proposal. Yes. It would be good to see to encourage member States to council to look into better regulation. Second, we need to have single market. Now we do not have single market in every area. A lot of tariffs, a lot of barriers between and within member states. We need to press very much. And third, we are speaking about investment competitiveness and drug report. But where is our banking union capital market union, which allows us to be much more effective using investments in our industry. And finally, reskilling is thinking about social pillar of Europeans. It is very important. Thank you.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “(16:51:14 – 16:55:29): K, sorry, I would like to start this in Lithuanian. Okay, I Would like to say the following. We are proud. We are really proud of Ukrainian men, women, children, girls, boys, and elderly people. You are incredibly brave, and your influence on us and on the world has been paramount. Until now, you have chosen the road of peace and victory, the side of international law like nobody else. You prove how it is possible even in this situation to strengthen and consolidate the nation and its health. You have built up incredible unique experience by withstanding this challenge of war. We can learn from you now about the progressive methods of war medicine. We can also learn from you how to manage crisis, how to train society to withstand civil emergencies. None other European country has similar experience in that field, and you are now our teachers. We realize how much you have achieved in decentralizing the administration of your systems, and you have managed to retain the provision of basic health care services through mobile teams. With Chairman Adam Yarubasu, we visited Kyiv, and we had a chance to visit the mother and child hospital, and we could witness with our own eyes how you managed to rebuild it. We also went to the railway stations. We saw wagons bringing the wounded from the front, the injured from the frontline. I am a surgeon by profession, and I was really impressed by seeing how well organized all of the activities are. I was impressed by the efficient and rapid help to the wounded who are being delivered to the specialized centers. You are our teachers, and we must make every effort to make sure that your committee and our science committee in the European Parliament meet as often as we can and work together in joint programs. We should also discuss where you could become observers in our work and how we could join your programs, for example by choosing the twinning programs. I have a question, a proposal to other members of parliament. It is now the time to embark on pilot projects with Ukrainian regions and cities. We should assist in—we should provide this assistance in order to speed up Ukraine's integration, since thereby we will bring peace faster. I'm convinced that winning projects, joint projects, could play an important role in these efforts, and we could strengthen health care in this way. Slava Ukraine. Thank you.”
  Russia-Ukraine conflict (10th term)
• “Thank you, thank you. Chairman. Commissioner. Public procurement must drive social progress and sustainability. We need to include public procurement, mandatory social criteria, mandatory environmental criteria and also workers rights, of course, to promote European preference, to limit the number of subcontractors and to include by local approach. And of course, fight against corruption, favoritism and conflict of interest. It can help us to guarantee transparency and promote social fairness and and and inclusion. **Nicolae ȘTEFĂNUȚĂ @Chair: All right? Thank you very much. Thank you for to all those who attended this debate. Now, the last catch the I speaker, Mr. Keenan.”
  "Buy European" provisions
• “Thank you. Commissioner. Colleagues. I would like to say that I stood in these shoes. I used to be the commissioner responsible for public safety and health, and I took part. In the procedures of authorisation of GMO seeds. I would like to point out that I have been elected by voters in Lithuania, and I would like to reaffirm that I my positions that I adhered to then and now that the Commission Commission's decisions are based on the advice of scientific community and the rule of law is binding upon the members of the European Parliament, on the members of the Commission and members of the public. And in this case, they abide by the rule of law. And I cannot be hypocritical and speak against this.”
  GMOs
• “Uh, affordability is important, of course. Uh, there is no issue. There is no question that's out of question that the lowest price criterion should not be applied in public procurement. Other. Another issue, commercial secrets. They have to be preserved. I was a commissioner on food safety and we had discussions. One prices cover commercial secrets, so to say, and commercial secrets were used as a reason to increase prices. So that's why we have to ensure transparency. And that is of critical importance. It's very important that we develop a harmonized transparency system among all 27 member states, which could ensure, uh, reliability and trust and that people know that the they can trust, uh, uh, legal, uh, acts and, uh, that people, uh, understand that the, uh, prices, uh, can really be a burden. Out of pocket payment is another issue. In all 27 member states, we have to understand, uh, that this act is of crucial importance. I congratulate the rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs, and all will contribute to everything to achieve our goals, to eliminate the segregation, the differences between different member states.”
  EU Single Market harmonisation
• “Mr. chairman, Commissioner, I wouldn't want to repeat what has been said regarding women's discrimination and salaries of women. However, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Commission possesses a lot of leverage. It has. It is in the position to apply pressure to countries so that they would implement their obligations in the area of the social pillar. Their economic programs should state clearly how soon and how quickly they will try and reduce this pay gap, because it is shameful to be talking about poverty among women and among single mothers. Um, this is a moral problem in this day and time. We need to make sure that we strengthen our leverage and control via the program.”
  Gender pay transparency
• “Thank you president. Thank you professor, for your convincing and well concentrated research survey. I'm very happy that you defined the priorities of the focus areas. My question is like this. I think that the European Union is late in preparing the all inclusive strategy for women's health. The recommendations of the EU Council should be prepared so that all member States could transfer this system and define them in national plans, national strategies which would be concentrated as well, and which would be understood by everybody. This would help us to strengthen the actions in the field of women's health. We do understand that there are ideological differences, and some are convictions which, uh, create obstacles for the implementation of the European policies in women's health that is linked to the abortion, uh, and to health education or women's health education in schools. We are speaking about women with high education who have better health in general. But we do understand that in schools already, we have to educate girls and boys about sexual health from the early childhood. We have to prepare a an extensive health education strategy for schools so that women could take care of their health in a better way throughout the lifetime. Uh, the European strategy, in this respect, has to emphasize the education on reproductive health, covering all age groups, boys as well, because boys have to educate it, too. Uh, if we speak about, uh, human papillomavirus, uh, men have to know about it as well. This is linked to reproductive health. I would like to hear your opinion about it. Thank you.”
  Sexuality and reproduction
• “Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, Central Asia is gaining more strategic role in the world politics. Russia and China are both deepening their presence there. Europe should not leave this region behind. We should actively engage with it. The enhanced Partnership and Cooperation agreement with Uzbekistan is our answer. Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia, a state in transition and a valuable partner. The first EU Central Asia Summit in Samarkand last April showed real momentum. We must not waste it. This agreement opens the door to deeper cooperation in different areas, starting from connectivity of critical raw materials, energy transition and so on, and supporting Afghanistan in their reforms and, crucially, on preventing the circumvention of our sanctions against Russia. Dialogue is not endorsement of cases of human rights abandoning Central Asia to others, that would be the real failure. We support this agreement and this partnership. Thank you.”
  EU policy on Central Asia
• “Thank you so much. I will speak Lithuanian. Commissioner, I'm really grateful to you for an excellent visit in Lithuania and an excellent dialogue with our farmers. I would like to testify to the fact that both you and our farmers are in favour of a progressive, sustainable, equitable and perspective. Agriculture. Thank you for all your initiatives. But we need a separate budget line. Any fragmentation of the budget would weaken the cap. We need a larger budget. Colleagues were right about our insufficient attention to our farmers. We should accord adequate financing in the next A multiannual financial framework. We also need to support young people. We need more innovations in agriculture in order to attract young people to the farming sector. We should also make equal all direct payments. It is an old promise, Commissioner. We have to do this because it is a matter of social justice. It is a matter of solidarity in Europe.”
  Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)
• “Madam director. Thank you very much for your excellent presentation and for a very clear picture as to the current situation. I have three questions to you. First of all, would the agency be able to present maps representing the situation in all 28 member states so that we could see the situation in each member state as far as the implementation of measures is concerned in the areas of biodiversity, circular economy and other areas. Because we need a holistic approach, we have to see the situation in all 27 member states. This was my first question. My second question. This map and the necessity to discuss the current results, would you see that it would be important to discuss those results and the situation in national parliaments? You have presented the results of your research, and we know that there are many populist views on the Green Deal. There are voices saying that it is not necessary. Some voices are saying that we should withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. We should understand that our goals are necessary. They should be viewed as necessary because if we are not going to implement them, we will face tremendous, huge problems as far as human health is concerned and as far as animal health is concerned. And one health is a very important concept. My third question. Maybe we need something else to the general monitoring something in addition to the description of the situation in Member states. Maybe you could present suggestions on the cooperation mechanism between member states in order to implement all measures, in order, all governments and parliaments to start thinking about how to implement all actions on the ground. We would then be able to see where we need to make additional effort in order to implement those goals. And I want to say once again, those goals are not ambitious. They are necessary. They are vital for us. Thank you.”
  Nature protection and restoration in the EU
• “(16:21:54 – 16:22:26): My question is the same like in previous panel. You know now I see reality brain and mental health should be as one strategy. My question is are you ready to raise those ideas to European Commission that they can also present more or less comprehensive approach on brain and mental health including all components because you just have a lot of evidence that we need to move in such direction. Thank you.”
  EU policy on mental health
• “Dear chairman, thank you, Madam State Secretary. My question is very concrete. I can raise a question about microplastic pollution in 2023. The commission adopted a proposal to solve this issue. The European Parliament voted in favour in April of this year. Unfortunately, the council still doesn't have a common position on this file. Can Hungarian Presidency inform us what was done and when? We can expect a common position of the Council, or you will push it to put it into to the Second Presidency? Second issue of the same topic you just mentioned, a legally and internationally legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution by 2024. My question is simple because we have only two and a half months, I would like to ask what steps the Hungarian Presidency have already taken, and what will take to ensure that an agreement will be reached by the end of this year. We have only two and a half months. Thank you.”
  Microplastics
• “Thank you colleagues. Thank you colleagues. First, I want to thank the rapporteur, Emmanuel Kefalogiannis, for very excellent cooperation and a very good report. It is a very important issue. And we have to have these discussions if we want to not be left behind, if we want our democracy to reflect the changing realities of the technology available. And if you want to harness it for the better from the S&D group, I have just a few points to add. In 2024 in Vilnius, the EU created the first legally binding international instrument on artificial intelligence. It includes a number of key concepts, such as a focus on human centric AI consistent with human rights, democracy and the rule of law a risk based approach. Key principles for trustworthy AI transparency for AI generated content. Support to safe innovation through regulatory sandboxes and many more. We have to make sure it is reflected in this report. We have to especially underline the need for democratic and parliamentary oversight and accountability, human oversight and review transparency and other related safeguards. Adjust our keynote speakers mentioned in the social area where I can become prominent. We have to ensure social fairness and workers rights. Regarding. 334. I am supporting it in general, and I do believe we will have to include AI issues into treaties sooner or later. I may support decision making, but we have to make sure it can never replace political responsibility and never weaken parliamentary scrutiny. And governments must reinforce representative democracy, but not replace it with technical, technocratic decision making. Of course, in any case, opening the treaties at the moment remains problematic and sensitive. Subject. We should include a call to all companies for a full implementation of AI act and make sure that algorithm not interfere with democratic choice with which should be fully informed and equal. In any case. Thank you and hope we will be able to negotiate a good report together.”
  Artificial Intelligence
• “Thank you so much, the Minister. I wish you big success and and and of course, you know, energetic work. I may quote in your present agenda, we are reading, the continued phaseout of Russian energy at the EU. Eu level will remain a key priority for the Danish Presidency. The Danish Presidency will prioritize and aim to finalize negotiations on the repower EU proposal to phase out Russian gas. Do you have concrete roadmap because you have only half a year to really to achieve such very important goal to phase out from Russian gas? My first question, the second question is related to Energy Union. In 2010, Jacques Delors and President, European Parliament declared that they see possibilities to build energy union and it was envisioned in 2017. Now we are in 2025 and we are looking about how can you improve and electricity grids, infrastructure, you know, uh, how can we, uh, you know, trigger connectivity and of course, security of, of infrastructure in Baltic region. We are facing a lot of challenges, and security of infrastructure is a very big goal. We need to see more investment in security of those regional infrastructure. It would be good to know your opinion. Thank you. Chair.”
  EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
• “Thank you. Thank you so much. Sorry. It was translation Commissioner. I thanks a lot. Such proposed fertilizer plan is a very good one. But of course, we need to discuss not only strategic plans, but also how can we address and react to this crisis? Because. Because the situation is very unusual. And of course, also fertilizers should be excluded from from, you know, from sanctions, as water, as food, you know, you have no chance to, to sanction water and sanction food and sanction medicine. Fertilizers belong to the same goods. They are strategic ones and we need to find ways. How can we solve problems keeping in mind targeted sanctions, but not to sanctioning fertilizers as such? Of course, also, it would be good to to to discuss issues about state aid. Now in Lithuania, we have two big factories which are producing ammonium and and and phosphates. But we need to also address issues because the situation is urgent. We need urgent action plans.”
  Use of fertilisers
• “Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much. I will continue in Lithuania after this topic is very topical and this strategy is very necessary. And it has to respond to all the issues that people with disability face. And we also need to think about post 2024 period. And the rapporteur quite rightly Underscored that we need equality, equal rights in this, in this area, and we need to ensure proper integration of the people of disability in all policy areas. We need to mainstream their problems. They need to see a very clear EU response. The EU needs to have a very clear attitude that disability cannot be a problem in their life. It's also very important to ensure that new technologies, digital technologies. Breakthrough technologies can help people with disability, and we need to include those technologies in this strategy, emphasizing that it is the national responsibility to provide proper funding. To resolve issues that people with disabilities face every day. It's very, very important. This strategy has to be comprehensive. It has to to ensure proper integration of people of disability and equal opportunities for those people making use of all the the most advanced technologies, however expensive they are. That means that we need to require that the Member States provide proper funding in their budget, so that people with disability can see a real change in their everyday life. Thank you.”
  EU policy on disability inclusion & accessibility
• “Thank you, Madam President. Mr. Commissioner, I'm really happy to speak about a very positive Danish experience because Denmark has got a cultural strategy and also Sweden is following this example. We in Lithuania are trying to do the same. So we have to very clearly state Eat that. It's not just related to the protection of our culture, of our languages, of our cultural diversity. It's an enormous weapon. Our opportunity to spread the independence and sovereignty of our culture worldwide. Lithuania got its independence only because it was based on its customs, culture, language and the protection of small cultures is extremely important. So we need to support the and defend this directive. Thank you.”
  EU and national cultural identities
• “Thank you so much, Mr. Minister. I am very happy to see Gavi here in our room. And, you know, also a big achievement that the European Parliament now has separate Sant committee fully legislative capacities enhance having. And of course, you know, I spent a lot of years working with Garvey, being commissioner for Health and Food Safety from 2014 to 2019. And I know very well the situation, environment around Garvey, around around our common efforts to reach much more billions of children around the globe. As you know, Garvey is very big, strong actor in implementing sustainable development goals. And SDG three is one of of goals where Garvey is operating. And also but I know very well today's environment, as you mentioned, three three partners. And you know, anti-vaxxer movements are very strong. You know, a political wave against against possibilities to develop much more effective policies related to vaccination and immunisation. And my question is to you speaking about possibilities to join our forces, how can we overcome political clash and political fight in the area of vaccination? Or what can we do more, including our, you know, common capacities to inform people? And but of course, we're fighting against misperception, misinformation, fake news, attacking Gavi, attacking Gates Foundation and so on. You know that politically today we are operating in very difficult. I am in close cooperation with Michel Kazatchkine, who now we are doing with HIV problems TB, tuberculosis, malaria, HIV. They are required much more efforts and attention. But of course political environment and political commercial determinants are killing our our How possible is to be more effective? It would be good to know. What can we do together overcoming those challenges around us?”
  Vaccination
• “But it is only on the way and we still have no good, you know, capacities to understand about what residuals on antibiotics are playing in in in in, in, in in environment. And of course we need to keep in mind one health approach. Of course veterinary medicine of course human health or animal health. But environmental topic is still is under big big big questions. We need to keep in mind much more attention. And of course as member states, to see to to to strengthen their capacities related to laboratory testing, because it's also very important. And of course we are we visited also very important kite T cells manufacturing. But it's of course not MMR, but it it would be good to think about advanced therapies cells therapies and you know biologicals and and and of course also once again to raise questions about necessity to build ecosystem for research, investment and innovations in area of rare cancers, rare diseases, low prevalence and Kate example is very important. Once again you can find you know summary which is very detailed presented to you. I will be very short if you can have questions. Once again I am ready to answer. But but from my point of view and I don't know, maybe very eager. My friend has additional, you know, sentences, but we were very, very happy with with such excellent mission.”
  Antimicrobial resistance
• “I would like to ask a question in Lithuanian. It's a very, extremely important that you presented this manifesto to us and proposed four pillars on which this manifesto is based. To me, it is obvious that the issue you are raising is very acute, not in the sense of social inequality, but for the older population, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. They face several problems at once. Hearing loss. Dental problems and sight problems. It's a whole complex of problems. The problems that come with aging. And this makes everything more acute. Not only just hearing, but because we know that these different issues come together. So prosthesis, hearing loss problems and their compensation is making the problem more acute. Inequality is huge. Of course, compensating the hearing aids is very complicated. In many countries, and the compensation is only partial. So the issue is shouldn't we think about the strategy concerning the hearing aids, which would go hand in hand. With a dental prosthesis and. Lenses for seeing which would be a complex. A complex aid to ensure better quality for the aging population. I think we perhaps could think about a general strategy concerning these three problems. Now we know that there are newborn babies with hearing loss and the later it is diagnosed, the problem is bigger. But then there is huge inequality in compensating the the treatments of these, these situations. Perhaps we could work out a Workout program, helping the countries which have difficulties in compensating these treatments, especially among the newborns too.”
  EU policy on aging workforce and pensions
• “Thank you very much indeed. Thank you. Thank you for your kind words. But you know it's not me. It was a big team which helped us to to launch in 2017 the European Reference Network. At that time it was only only nine. Uh, you know, only, you know, 900 centers. Now we see progress. Now we have 24 pathologies which are united in all 27 member states, of course, with different capacities, different excellent centers. But please keep in mind that in plants, we need to have more 48 pathologies because we are not covering all pathologies at all. And of course, also at that time it was developed biobanks bio registries without possibilities to use biologists and repository of of real data biomarkers. You have no chance to do issues with, you know, with treatment concretely, concretely detecting genetic, genetically determined treatments. You need to have absolutely federated data. And it is you have no chance to separate European reference networks from Biobanks. Banks. It's like today it exists. It absolutely failure. And then of course, we know 1 million genomics and newborn screening in one country. Only three. Can you collect data if one country have three in another, 12 in another in Italy is leading more than 50. But but you need to aggregate the data. How can you aggregate it if you have no chance to discuss with those? And of course AI has data space.”
  Processing of health data
• “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, colleagues. Welcome. I am big fan to to to to do my best raising all the COPD high on the political agenda being commissioner. I did it and I support a lot of of you know events. May you remember those events. And of course keeping in mind air pollution with particles. Please keep in mind the smoking also is as complex particles and also carcinogens. It's complex. And of course also when we are promoting Green Deal and we are fighting against climate change, then we are raising questions about necessity to implement all our legal instruments, stopping smoking and of course, eliminating smoking until 2020, 2050. In the European Union, We are calling about the same. And of course also NCDs such as COPD, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, kidney and others are deeply interconnected, deeply interconnected and both in terms of risk factors and health outcomes. For example, diabetes in particular significantly increases the likelihood of developing NCDs, including COPD. And recent research shows that chronically high blood sugar levels and type two diabetes two can impair how well lungs work, called lung lung function. And these interdependencies highlight the need to move beyond fragmented approach and fragmented response. You just mentioned COPD but but when you are speaking about prevention and possibilities to address all these castles, we know that we need to very comprehensive off approach, including all situations with just established interest group on prevention strategy, which also has the same goal to unite our forces and to see how can we move forward, including issues related to Okhttp. And the only effective way to tackle the NCDs crisis is through a truly integrated and holistic approach, reflecting the complex and overlapping nature of these conditions. My question is, how would you recommend to address the interconnected nature of NCDs keeping in mind, for example, main issues COPD, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and seeing possibilities to present comprehensive strategy, fighting all those factors together and delivering a lot of financial instruments and financial equal financial support for all those problems.”
  EU measures on lifestyle-related behaviours (smoking, drinking, eating, etc.)
• “Thank you colleagues. Europe has been dragged into a geopolitical reality it did not choose. Trump's unpredictable, most favoured nation concept and tariffs threaten European patients. They threaten the medicines on which millions of Europeans depends. European solidarity in securing access to medicines urgently must be underpinned by a strong and globally competitive pharmaceutical sector and strategy. Europe needs to make its own strategic choices by creating a favourable environment for research, investment authorisation, clinical trials and functioning markets. The answer is the European Health Union. Diversified supply chains share strategic reserves, joint procurement of some medicines and One Europe one market concept in pharmaceuticals. A recent call to open European dialogue on pharmaceuticals bringing together EU institutions, member states and stakeholders is timely. European solidarity in securing medicines access must stop being a slogan now. It must be become a structure. Thank you.”
  Joint EU procurement of medicines
• “Dear president, dear Commissioner, let me start with some sentence. It is incredibly, incredibly frustrating to see a sensitive topic as women's health are repeatedly scheduled for the very end of the European Parliament plenary agenda. This consistent the motion of health related discussions suggests a worrying undervaluation of their importance. Why are these vital conversations related to health are being marginalised in this way and not only the first time putting on the last, you know, on the last, the end of plenaries. Such important topic. I want to extend my congratulations to the Commission for taking new steps to address endometriosis, but only with robust actions at the EU level. We have the potential to transform the lives of approximately 1814 million women. To truly confront this debilitating condition across the EU. We need a focused, multi-pronged strategy that directly improves the daily reality for these affected those affected. First and foremost, we must dramatically increase both EU and national funding for endometriosis research. More research will lead to a deeper understanding of this complex disease, paving the way for more effective treatment. And of course, crucially, to create the hope because it is so, so complicated issue. Hope for cure that you must also champion and implement supportive policies like paid menstrual leave. As I just mentioned, France, Ireland, Spain did it. And and of course, furthermore, we need to ensure free and accessible fertility treatment and prioritise a robust mental health support because a lot of women suffer from them. These aren't just administrative measures, they are about restoring dignity, protecting livelihoods and of course, offering a brighter future for for for women and women. Health is so important. And of course gap exists. We can't be blind and very sensitive topics. Thank you very much indeed.”
  Sexuality and reproduction
• “Thank you. If I may, I would like to ask in my native language. I have a question to both ministers. Danish presidency this time has a very clear list of tasks. But my question is linked more to the platform of regional cooperation. A lot of Danish farms, pig farms and others. Are established. There are companies in other countries, for instance in Lithuania. However, in the farming practice, uh, air pollution rules, water pollution rules and other requirements have to be observed even more when the plant is moved outside of the country. Nonetheless, people in a country like mine notice that the investors are quite negligent. Uh, they think that there are double standards applied in the country where the company is founded. They observe all environmental standards very strictly. Meanwhile, outside of that country, they, uh, ignore them quite often. Don't we have to speak about regional cooperation so that the farming operators in all member states would observe the same standards? Thank you.”
  Air quality policy · Water pollution
• “Thank you very much indeed. As you rightly mentioned, it was purely Lithuanian delegation. It would be better next. Next, you know, time to organize maybe a much broader delegation, because the EMA is very important agency. And we had really excellent opportunities to discuss all issues related to MMR in very deep and very, you know, detailed manner. First of all, also, I would like to stress a proposal. It would be good to invite, you know, Amr Insight Initiative to listen their, you know, their best practices and to see how can we help to disseminate such best practices between member States. Because we were very impressed with such meeting of of, you know, frankly speaking NGO. But they show us how they are effective in, in their activities, raising awareness, keeping society informed and of course also proposing very, very innovative approaches. I am very keen to to propose to our commission to, to to have such, you know, meeting with, with, with the chair of this is inside Martin van Dongen. He is really, really brilliant. And of course, you know, we we spent a lot of time discussing with Emma about, about all situations starting with situation on what is with this new development of an antibiotic, what is with, you know, possibilities to, to, to to raise questions related to, to strategies to reduce use of antibiotics and of course also possibility to to speak about innovative issues as bacteriophages and to others. They are in line of, of all, you know, uh, activities.”
  Antimicrobial resistance
• “Mr.. President. Commissioner. Rapporteur. Congratulations to the rapporteur and the shadows for their excellent work. This directive will lay the foundations for better implementation of provisions in Member States and Member States will have the possibility to take decisions themselves. Uh, about tightening up on the provisions. But when we are talking about sexual abuse of children, pedophilia here in the European Parliament. And at the same time we start to spread propaganda relating to sexual minorities, then that's a false strategy. And the consequences of these statements are always negative. So I think we need to be careful because this directive is important to all of us.”
  LGBTIQ+
• “Thank you, Chair. Colleagues, I will try to speak slowly. First of all, I would like to express my happiness about the fact that the Parliament is drafting this report, and I'd like to thank our shadow rapporteur. CEP post-2027. This is our possibility to switch from reacting to crisis to real strategic transformation. Agriculture should be future-proof, sustainable, just and resistant. These are the main four principles. First of all, the CEP should have the necessary budget. It should be separate and defined in very clear terms. Any fragmentation of the CEP would weaken the competitive position of the EU. It would contribute to the fluctuation of food prices and would increase discontent in society. Agriculture affects climate change. Therefore, we need to develop mechanisms which should allow the agricultural sector to adapt to climate change, such as irrigation systems, which have been mentioned. Farmers are also facing many problems because markets are unstable. There are many problems in the supply chain. The future is uncertain. The EU should react immediately, adequately to all those challenges. We cannot ignore the mechanisms which allow us to slow down the climate change. The agricultural sector should implement legal acts related to climate change. We should do everything in order to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. We should also accord considerable attention to the reduction of methane emissions. One health. This principle is very important. We should make a link between human, animal and environmental health. We should employ all possible measures to ensure this. We should also ensure the protection of biological diversity. Farmers care about this, but we should help them to implement the existing requirements. The EU should introduce mandatory labelling of foodstuffs. Thus, consumers would be able to get comprehensive information about the origin of products. It is also necessary to indicate animal welfare elements in the labelling. Today, we have to speak about the difference in direct payments between the farmers of member states. They violate the principles of equal treatment. Therefore, the competitive situation is not the same for all farmers. It is necessary to make all direct payments equal in order to ensure the same income for farmers for the same activities. This would contribute to our competitiveness and would also contribute to cohesion. We should seek to ensure a just distribution of support in the agricultural sector. It is also necessary to think about support to those most in need. First of all, small farmers are a counterbalance to big, huge farms. Therefore, we think that the limit of 75,000 euros should be introduced for direct payments. The cap should also help farmers to improve soil quality, to tackle the problems of water shortages, and we need efficient measures and regulation for that. We should also think about the introduction of new technologies, about tapping into the conclusions of scientists. But all those measures should be followed by adequate financing. We should also establish standards for each category of animals. We should also think about animal health, adequate feed for animals, the ability for animals to move freely, and their psychological condition. We should not engage in a race to the bottom. The EU should strengthen the protection of high standards, and it should apply the same food safety, pesticide, and environmental rules for its partners in third countries. The CAP should be simple and just, but at the same time it should be ambitious. Thank you.”
  Direct payments to farmers (pillar 1)